A TROUBLED Chinese takeaway has been searched by police investigating alleged illegal immigration and dodgy cigarette sales.
Thousands of pounds worth of cash, identification documents and suspected counterfeit jewellery were seized from 88 Noodle Bar on Cross Church Street in Huddersfield town centre yesterday.
Officials from HM Revenue and Customs joined police for the search at the takeaway, whose name is inspired by the Chinese belief that the number eight is lucky.
The takeaway was shut yesterday evening.
It followed four arrests and the confiscation of thousands of pounds worth of suspected counterfeit cigarettes in a raid on Lower Fitzwilliam Street near the town centre on Sunday.
Police were called out after a member of the public reported seeing someone acting suspiciously outside a house.
It was initially thought the man was about to break into the property.
But further investigations revealed up to £5,000-worth of suspected counterfeit cigarettes inside.
Three men, aged 21, 35 and 50 along with a 41-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of evading excise duty.
The 21-year-old and 35-year-old were then further arrested on suspicion of immigration offences.
It is thought a member of the takeaway’s staff had been arrested on suspicion of being an illegal immigrant before.
Sunday’s arrests come after 88 Noodle Bar was ordered to take action following a string of late night problems.
Kirklees Council’s licensing committee ordered owner Chau Hung Yu to employ doorstaff after a number of assaults.
He had applied for permission to open until 5am daily.
After hearing that there had been repeated problems with antisocial behaviour, the committee decided to restrict opening until 4am.
Mr Yu was also told to install CCTV and employ doorstaff on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Police and HM Revenue and Customs have carried out a string of raids to seize counterfeit cigarettes in the last five months.
In August, about 7,000 cigarettes and a quantity of rolling tobacco were seized in a raid on John William News on John William Street in Huddersfield town centre.
A fortnight later 4,000 allegedly counterfeit and non-duty paid cigarettes were seized in a swoop at HD International Food just a few doors away.
About 13,000 cigarettes were then discovered in a search at a house at Harp Inge in Dalton.
And in November cigarettes, DVDs, clothes and jewellery worth about £75,000 were recovered from the Nawroz shop on Bradford Road in Hillhouse and in the subsequent search of a house on the same road.
